For those aspiring to become parents, things don’t always go as planned. While getting pregnant is easy for some, many women face fertility struggles, and few understand this better than celebrities who have openly shared their experiences.
Whether through adoption, surrogacy, or deciding not to have children, these high-profile stars have bravely spoken about their journeys after realizing they couldn’t have children.
1. Selena Gomez
Singer and actor Selena Gomez recently opened up about her inability to have children due to medical conditions that make pregnancy unsafe. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she shared, ‘I haven’t ever said this, but I unfortunately can’t carry my own children,’ explaining that doing so would endanger both her life and that of her potential child.
@curiouslymedia Selena Gomez gets vulnerable talking about having children❤️ #selenagomez #selenagomezedit #celebrity ♬ original sound – Curiously
2. Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston faced immense pressure from the media and the public regarding her plans to have children. Eventually, she decided to address these relentless questions by speaking openly about her struggles with infertility. Aniston revealed that much of her 30s and 40s were consumed by her efforts to conceive, describing the “baby-making journey” in an interview with Allure as a deeply “challenging” experience that involved IVF treatments, trying various Chinese herbal teas, and more.
3. Gabrielle Union
You might be thinking, “But doesn’t Gabrielle Union already have children?” While she does, her children were born through surrogacy, and there’s an important reason why. After enduring numerous miscarriages, Union was diagnosed with adenomyosis, a condition that led to an enlarged uterus. Despite undergoing IVF treatments and taking medication, she ultimately decided to stop trying to conceive naturally to prioritize her health. In her memoir, she shared the emotional toll of not being able to experience pregnancy firsthand and how she grappled with public judgment over her decision.
@cade.foundation Thank you @Gab Union for sharing your story 💙 #ivfstory #recurrentmiscarriage #pregnancylossawareness #ivfjourney ♬ original sound – CADE Foundation
4. Jordana Brewster
Similar to Gabrielle Union, Jordana Brewster turned to surrogacy after realizing she couldn’t carry children herself. She now has two children and has been candid about her surrogacy journey. In an interview with Yahoo Parenting, Brewster shared that opting for surrogacy “wasn’t a choice,” but she didn’t feel judged for it. However, she did feel “awkward” and somewhat left out when other mothers would talk about their experiences of giving birth.
5. Deborra-Lee Furness
Deborra-Lee Furness and her husband, actor Hugh Jackman, opted for adoption early in their marriage after discovering they couldn’t have biological children. Given that Furness is 13 years older than Jackman, they began trying for a family right away. However, after several miscarriages early in their relationship, the couple chose to adopt—something they had always envisioned doing, even before learning of their fertility challenges.
6. Lena Dunham
Lena Dunham, creator of Girls, underwent a hysterectomy at the young age of 31 due to her painful battle with endometriosis. Although it was the right medical decision, it’s one that has continued to haunt her. In an essay for Vogue, Dunham expressed her longing to experience pregnancy, writing that she “wanted to know what nine months of complete togetherness could feel like,” and likened it to failing a job interview she could never ace.
7. Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks has openly shared her surrogacy experience across various platforms, from the Call Her Daddy podcast to Women’s Health magazine. After years of attempting to conceive and struggling with the sadness of not having biological children, Banks found comfort in the words of other mothers who told her that once their babies were born, they barely remembered the pregnancy. This perspective allowed Banks to shift her focus from the pregnancy itself to the joy of welcoming a child, ultimately making the decision to pursue surrogacy much easier.
8. Kristen Wiig
Actor and comedian Kristen Wiig faced a challenging path to motherhood, spending years caught in what she described as an “IVF haze” before accepting that carrying a child herself wasn’t meant to be. In an interview with InStyle, Wiig shared, “Emotionally, spiritually, and medically, it was probably the most difficult time in my life.” After making the difficult decision to pursue surrogacy, Wiig and her husband, Avi Rothman, welcomed twins—marking a joyful new chapter for the couple.
9. Kate Walsh
Private Practice actor Kate Walsh faced the heartbreak of early menopause, which prevented her from having children. After learning that her sister also went through early menopause, Walsh sought medical advice. She recalled feeling frightened by the possibility, and when she finally saw her doctor, the news confirmed her fears. The doctor told her, “You have one egg, and there’s a hairline fracture,” a moment that marked the end of her hopes for biological children.